Kentucky Seeks Firms for Statewide Fiber Optic Internet

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Steve Beshear, governor of Kentucky, speaks during a press conference at Ford Motor Co.'s Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010. Ford, the world's most profitable automaker, is hiring 1,800 workers and spending $600 million to overhaul the factory in Louisville, which now produces the midsize Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle (SUV), to build a redesigned version of the Escape compact utility vehicle late next year. Photographer: John Sommers II/Bloomberg *** Local Caption *** Steve Beshear

BRADENTON, FLA. — Kentucky plans to use bond financing as part of the funding source for upgrading high-speed Internet access across the state through fiber optic lines.

The project, called the Next Generation Kentucky Information Highway, is estimated to cost about $100 million and will take up to three years to build with 3,000 miles of fiber infrastructure.

Initial funding from $30 million in bonds was provided by the legislature during the recent session that ended April 15. The project also will require $20 million in federal funds and another $20 million from private partners.

The state released a request for information recently to determine what profit and nonprofit companies would be interested in participating in the project to install "middle-mile fiber backbone infrastructure" in Kentucky. Responses to the RFI are due by May 7.

The first phase of the Next Generation broadband project will occur in eastern Kentucky, an area that is the most under served in the commonwealth, according to Gov. Steve Beshear.

"Today, only about half of Kentucky's households use broadband Internet service, and nearly one-quarter can't access broadband at all," Beshear said. "We're going to fix that with an ambitious plan to extend broadband access, initially focusing on eastern Kentucky."

The Finance and Administration Cabinet will accept the RFI responses and oversee the project.

"We envision strong partnerships with providers that could fulfill multiple roles in the deployment, operation and management of the network," said Cabinet Secretary Lori Flanery. "Both profit and nonprofit vendors are strongly encouraged to respond to this RFI. The information we receive will help us as we develop the business case and determine the direction of future requests for proposals."

Kentucky ranks 46th in broadband availability and 23% of its rural areas do not have access to high-speed Internet, state officials said.

The Next Generation broadband project will provide modern high-capacity fiber infrastructure that will allow businesses to compete globally while providing educators and students with greater access to resources, said officials.

It will also allow health care facilities to share electronic medical records and upgrade communications for emergency responders.

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